The standard is currently 20 percent by 2020 but Xcel Energy, the state’s dominant power provider, is well ahead of schedule, the story notes. The Democratic plan would boost the mandate to 30 percent.

Pending energy and climate legislation on Capitol Hill includes a national renewable electricity standard, but with climate change stuck behind several other priorities in the Senate, the states remain where the action is.

In Detroit, where the huge North American International Auto Show is underway, there’s plenty of excitement about hybrid and electric-powered vehicles. Ford expects up to a quarter of its North American sales to come from hybrid or electric vehicles in 2020, notes the Detroit Free Press.

But there are some caveats too, notes a Wall Street Journal story about GM’s upcoming Chevy Volt. The upshot: the car’s range on battery power may vary significantly with the weather and driving conditions.